Volume 31 (2018): Edition 3 (September 2018)

Lepidium meyenii, commonly known as Maca, is a Peruvian plant that grows high in the Andes, in areas over 4,000 meters above sea level. Its composition contains almost all of the essential amino acids and twenty of the essential fatty acids needed by man, as well as many vitamins, minerals and several sterols and glucosinolates. The specific and unique unsaturated acids and amides found only in this plant are the macaenes and macamides. Most valuable ingredients are contained within the hypocotyls. Maca comes in three forms, based on its root colour, yellow, red and black. Although used individually, consumption recommendations are usually for a mix of all three. Since Inca times, it has been considered as super food.

Although now mostly used in the form of a supplement, ongoing research does not exclude future applications of Maca as medicine. It is attributed to have an effect on male fertility (adding energy and vitality), and in regulating hormone secretion. In animal studies, Maca has been shown to have antioxidant, neuroprotective effects and antiviral activity. Moreover, it has been demonstrated to alleviate the effects of depression. In addition, there are reports that Maca reduces the development of cancer and osteoporosis, improves memory, facilitates concentration and alleviates the symptoms of menopause. The obtained results, however, require further analysis to confirm its effect. Currently, there is little information on toxicity, so there is a need for specialized research in this area, and on-going research concerns the most effective variety and form of preparation of Maca for administration to achieve best effects. The potential of Maca as medicine exists. The increasing pan-continental popularity of Maca has created the need for a better understanding of its action mechanisms.

The clinical and para clinical manifestations of influenza in various patients have range from an autoimmune disease to a life-threatening respiratory infection. In addition, the severity of the disease is influenced by factors such as demographic factors, underlying diseases, and immune response. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the clinical, laboratory and epidemiological characteristics of patients with this type of influenza in Babol (north of Iran). This study was conducted as a descriptive cross-sectional study from October 2015 to March 2016. Subsequently, in this study, records of 123 patients with clinical signs of the influenza-like disease who have undergone the clinical sign in hospitals affiliated to Babol University of Medical Sciences were reviewed. Of 123 patients admitted to a possible diagnosis of influenza, 58 patients (47.2%) were PCR positive for H1N1, while seventy nine (64.2%) participants were women and 21 (17.1%) had diabetes or underlying lung disease. Most of the involved age groups were of individuals above the age of 50. These were followed by the 21-35 years-old. Fever (78%), cough (65.9%), shivering (58.5%) and myalgia (56.1%) were the most common clinical symptoms. Increased levels of transaminases (43.1%), leukocytosis (35.8%) and thrombocytopenia (34.2%) were as well reported in patients as the most frequently reported para clinical findings. In the present study, the most usual clinical symptoms were fever, cough, chill, and myalgia, while gastrointestinal symptoms were also noticeably observed in patients. In an experimental study, a significant number of patients showed leukocytosis and thrombocytopenia and increased transaminases.

Choosing the appropriate method for differentiation of Staphylococcus aureus strains is important for effective diagnostics and epidemiological investigations. Despite the fact that the results of phenotypic methods are strongly dependent on environmental conditions, they can still be useful in the investigation of epidemic strains of S. aureus. In this article, the potential application of commonly used phenotypic methods in epidemiological studies of S. aureus was analysed. Advantages and disadvantages of methods such as biotyping, serotyping, phage typing, AST (Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing), SDS-PAGE (Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacryl Gel Electrophoresis), MLEE (Multilocus Enzyme Electrophoresis) and MALDI-TOF MS (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectroscopy) were also discussed. Finally, phenotypic techniques were compared in terms of their discriminatory potential, typeability of isolates, time of analysis, reproducibility, ease of performance and ease of results interpretation.

Noggin (NOG) is a protein that is involved in the development of many body tissues, including nerve tissue, muscles, and bones. The NOG protein plays a role in germ layer-specific derivation of specialized cells. Via NOG, the formation of neural tissues, the notochord, hair follicles, and eye structures arise from the ectoderm germ layer, while noggin activity in the mesoderm gives way to the formation of cartilage, bone and muscle growth. In the endoderm, NOG is involved in the development of the lungs.

NOG dimerizes by a core body, while two pairs of strands extend from it preceding by an N-terminal segment (called a clip segment) with approximately 20 amino acids. This clip twists around the BMP ligand and obstructs the growth factor surfaces from binding to both BMP receptors type I and type II. NOG binding to some BMPs inhibits these from combining and thus activating receptors of BMP, therefore, blocking non-Smad and Smad-dependent signaling.

The anti-proliferative noggin has particular effects in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) that are exposed to specifically down regulated hypoxia. This occurs together with the BMP4 up-regulation levels of protein, and this imbalance between NOG and BMP4 consequence results in the activation and development of PAH disease. Our study consists of numerous examinations so as to explore new biomarkers in order to determine onset of PAH, and to discover the relationship between NOG serum level and gender, age, body mass index (BMI), waist circumferences (WC), smoking, types of PAH primaries and secondaries, as well as their grade.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Polish women [1], thus, the problem of surgical treatment of breasts, especially with regard to conserving and/or reconstruction surgery, is extensively discussed. Currently, in Poland, efforts are made to increase the number of oncologic and reconstructive breast centers which offer specialized treatment of this cancer, the so-called ‘Breast Units’ [1]. This paper analyzes methods of reconstructions, discusses the techniques used in particular types of surgeries and additionally informs the reader of the oncological aspects of the procedures. Based on literature, statistical data of breast reconstructions from Poland and the world are presented. Moreover, complications and psychological aspects of mammary gland surgery are dealt with, and the aesthetic effects of breast reconstructions are discussed. To support of our findings, we also present selected clinical cases from the oncological and reconstructive point of view.

Anabolic steroids (AS) have been a subject of intensive research for the last several decades. Due to wide use of AS in pharmacological treatment and in professional and amateur sport, it is, hence, worthwhile to describe the biochemical mechanism of the effects of AS usage in humans and its potential health risks. In this work, the relationship between diet and its effect on the level of testosterone in blood is described. Testosterone affects the nervous system, however, there is need for further researches to examine the influence of AS therapy on emotional and cognitive functioning. AS therapy has known negative effects on the cardiovascular system: cardiac hypertrophy can occur, blood pressure can vastly increased, thrombotic complications can come about. These effects are observed not only in patients who are treated with AS, but also in athletes. The paper also describes the relationship between AS and reproductive system diseases. Decreased libido and erectile dysfunction are only some of the many side effects of an incorrect AS treatment.

Current treatment and prevention of chronic rhinitis (CR) and chronic tonsillitis (CT) highlights the need for clinical trials in the respective laboratory model, of better options, including new medicaments. Therefore, to understand CR and CT via the laboratory model, the chronic pro-inflammatory process was simulated in laboratory animals (“Chinchilla” rabbits) using the reference Staphylococcus aureus strain 209P (ATCC 6538-P). Initial sensitizing of the laboratory animals with the inactivated causative agent and subsequently infecting the required area with the reference-strain made it possible to work out a reproducible model of both chronic rhinitis and chronic tonsillitis. Adequacy of CR and CT development was confirmed by the results of microbiological and pathomorphological investigations. The proposed laboratory model can be used to solve theoretical and practical medical current issues, as well as pharmacological topical problems.

In the current study, we investigated the risk factors for tuberculosis in patients admitted to the Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital in Babol, north of Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 207 patients with proven tuberculosis during the years 2008-2015. Demographic data such as age and sex, smoking, history of underlying illness, illness symptoms, and laboratory results were collected and analyzed at a significant level of less than 0.05. From 207 patients, 136 were male (65.7%), 71 were female (34.3%), and 76 of them (37.3%) were smokers. It is notable that most patients (29.5%) were over the age of 71. The relation between age profile and being tuberculosis has been studied, but the co-relation was found to be not significant. The most common complaint has been coughing (60.9%).

While investigating underling diseases, the most common illness has found to be Diabetes (11.3%). Based our finding, there was a significant relationship between gender and smoking with tuberculosis. Accordingly, as smoking is one of the risk factors for tuberculosis, smokers and non-smokers should be informed that smoking carries the risk for tuberculosis. Such a program should be particularly addressed to males.

Whole body vibration involves the exposure of the entire human body to direct contact with environmental vibration. Chronic mechanical vibrations, combined with the physical attributes of the human body, can amplify the incoming energy and present the potential for negative health effects. Vibration exposure can, thus, result in adverse health effects such as spinal injuries, abdominal neurological and cardiovascular disorders. These can manifest indirectly as an accident causal factor. The aim of our research is to study the impact of vibration fluctuations of different frequencies on the structural and functional condition and mechanisms of bone remodelling. An experimental study was, therefore, conducted on mature male rats. For assessment of bone metabolism in the venous blood of rats, osteocalcin level was determined, while fragments of rats’ lumbar vertebrae were subsequently taken for histologic examination. Our work revealed that with the increase of vibration frequency, an increase of osteocalcin level in the blood of experimental animals comes about. Moreover, we noted after terminating vibration fluctuations on the 56^th day of the experiment, osteocalcin levels are gradually reduced. In addition, in the course of histological study of specimens of lumbar vertebrae bone tissue, even as early as of the 28^th day of the experiment, evidences of acute impairment of the bone tissue and initial signs of its remodelling are clearly traced. Indeed, on the 56^th day, the remodelling processes represented by enhanced regeneration in the zone of the cartilage plate, increased in proliferation activity. We also saw hyperplasia of chondrocytes, hypertrophy of the respective zones of cartilage tissue, zones of forming immature bone tissue on the areas of previous damage, focal replacement fibrosis and angiomatosis. Hence, with increasing vibratory acceleration of 0,5 g, the rate of bone metabolism grows, osteoblast activation processes are accelerated and the impairment of collagen and calcium loss is increased. All this leads subsequently to the occurrence of osteoporosis.

The first visit to the dentist should take place within 6 months after the first deciduous tooth erupts, and not later than in the 12^th month of the child’s life. To assess the role of paediatricians in the prophylaxis of early childhood caries, the authors studied recommendations given to parents about the age when their child should see the dentist for the first time. The survey covered 250 parents of children aged from 11 to 69 months who attended nursery schools and kindergartens in Lublin. Our results show that paediatricians only referred 12.80% (n = 32) of all children at the age of between 3 to 66 months for their first visit to the dentist. Herein, half of the references were of children younger than 2 years (Me = 24.0). In total, the mean age of the child was 22.41 ± 13.24 months on reference.

Thus, paediatricians refer children to the dentist for their first visit too seldom and too late. It is essential that paediatricians learn to participate to a greater extent in the prevention of early childhood caries. The cooperation between the paediatrician and the dentist is necessary to provide complex and comprehensive care to developmental age patients.